Twenty nine years ago today, a beautiful, sweet and amazing young woman gave herself to me. I suppose she really had no idea what she was getting herself into, but I was deliriously happy that she was more than willing, even excited, to spend her life with me.

I had loved the girl for five years and dated her a bit more than for four. (You can read the rest of that story here). She was my dream come true. I had known it since our first kiss. And suddenly she was mine, and our adventure through life together, our own Journey to Surrender, began.

Here we are today, twenty nine years in. Hard to believe, really, that it has been that long. And we are more in love now than ever. I can say that with all sincerity. Our love is deeper, stronger and sweeter than it has ever been. I am convinced that’s how it is supposed to be. Still I am very thankful that I am among the few who get to say that.

I am a very blessed man!

She Gets Me

Jenni knows me to the core. She has a deep understanding of who I am, how I am wired and how God has gifted and called me. Yes, she knows my quirks and weaknesses as well, but loves me in spite of my shortcomings.

She has invested herself over the years in knowing me. Her time, her effort and her prayers have all gone into finding out what makes me who I am. It hasn’t always come easily and it didn’t necessarily come quickly. It took years. That’s part of the Journey. The truth is that this part of our love relationship never stops. As I grow, mature and change, her understand of who I am must grow along with me.

There is great comfort and freedom in knowing that she knows me so well. And I know that she loves who I am.

She Loves Me

My wife loves me and loves me well.

She is willing to look past my failings and shortcoming, to give grace in the places that I have not fully matured, and to love me “as if” I was already the man God intends me to be. She sees in me what I can be, not just what I am.

She strives to love me as the church loves Jesus. She loves me for the protection and provision I give her, but more than that she believes in my desire to love her with Christ-like love, even when I fall short of that ideal. Her gift of submission to me, of following my lead and remaining under my covering, does not always come naturally or easily (she has an admitted strong-willed streak).

And she is generous in showing her love:

She Delights Me

My wonderful wife is purposeful in doing things that she knows make me happy. She has spent her life learning my desires and dreams, and she goes out of her way to make them come true. She delights in delighting me.

She will say that her young love was selfish and that it took her years to learn to be more selfless. I would say that she has always loved me selflessly, but it is true that through the years, as she has come to know me more deeply, she knows better how to please me.

I could rave on her more. (For example, she is beautiful, fun, loves life and knows how infuse every little thing with joy.) But you have probably already stopped believing me.

The long and the short of it? I love this woman deeply and passionately. And I consider myself to be a very blessed man.

Happy anniversary! I remember your wedding well. It was a joyous occasion, and I'm so happy for both of you—both then and now. You are truly soul mates, and we all knew that way back when! I hope the next 29 years will be as wonderful as the first!!